Today’s autobiographical note from Paul is a little ambiguous. He, in 2nd Corinthians 11:27, tells us that he was “in watchings often.”

The Greek text, “en agrupnia pollakis.”

The noun “agrupnia” is a blended word. The first letter, the “a” (alpha in Greek) reverses the meaning of the rest of the word. It means “not.” The teachers sometimes call this an “alpha privative.”

Then “agrupneo” means “to sleep.”

Now we have to put them together … thus, “not to sleep” or just “sleeplessness.”

Wow!

Not every night I am sure, Paul possessing the Peace of God like he did. (As in Philippians 4:7 … “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.“)

But some nights, “many” in fact, no sleep!

“in watchings often”

The adverb “often” is “pollakis,” a derivative of “pollus,” indeed meaning “many.”

Now to discuss “agrupnia. Did Paul have insomnia? Was he so hyperactive that sleep eluded him? Did his body require little rest, a hereditary thing?

I think none of the above suggestions hold the answer to Paul’s “watchings.”

Rather …

He was sleepless because of dangers lurking all around him and his traveling (evangelistic) team.

Based on the context of “peril” after “peril,” what else can be deduced?

Sleepless, taking turns “on guard duty” … because so many enemies meant Paul harm!

Many a death threat against this Giant of God is recorded in the Book of Acts.

And Dr. Luke (the penman of Acts) was not with Paul every mile of every journey. No telling what happened in the “silent” years!

Living under that kind of “pressure,” Paul did for years.

Like the 7 years David fled from Saul!

Or the 40 years Moses was a fugitive in the desert!

Or Jesus’ 3 years of public Ministry, hated by many who wanted the Lord dead!

Paul also suffered.

How did he preach the next day … after a night when sleep was impossible?

Or write the next chapter of Romans?

Or walk the next twenty miles?

“in watchings often”

I admire Paul more and more … as we cover this ” hardship list.”

Yet, as I’ve said a dozen (or more) times now … Paul remained faithful!

He did not quit.

Surely such adversity proves his commitment to Jesus!

Proves that he is a genuine Believer … and Apostle!

And finally … that day when a Roman executioner’s sword chopped Paul’s head from his body … I am sure that man of God reflected … “Thankfully, rest at last!”

Amen to a life well lived.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

In 2nd Corinthians 11:27 Paul the Apostle tells us that he experienced times of “painfulness,” apparently fairly often, as a result of his serving the Lord.

Here’s the whole verse, short as it may be: “In weariness and PAINFULNESS, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Wow!

The noun “painfulness” is “mochthos” in Greek. And it is truly rare in the New Testament, only being used 3 times. And even its “parent,” the word from which it derives (“mogis”), is only found 1 time!

“Mochthos” means “hard, difficult labor.” Further; “toil, travail, distress.”

Here’s how Paul used the word when writing the one Church: “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and TRAVAIL (“mochthos”): for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.” 1st Thessalonians 2:9

And later Paul combines the same two words again (“labour and travail”) when writing to that group of Believers: “Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and TRAVAIL (“mochthos”) night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.” 2nd Thessalonians 3:8

Thus, “mochthos” is expressed the three times it’s used in the (King James Version) New Testament as “travail” 2 times and “painfulness” 1 time.

I wonder what kind of “pain” it was, that Paul suffered.

Maybe his back throbbed … after those eight (plus) beatings he received, preaching the Word of God. Maybe his head bled, or his broken bones hurt, after the stonings (yes, more than one) he incurred.

That would be this type of “painfulness!”

But Paul did not consider himself just “hurting” in agony.

He thought of his agony as “birth pangs!”

And “travail” or “labor” … as when a mother is giving birth to a baby, a little child!

His extreme discomfort, his “level 10” hurting, was for a purpose, a reason.

Bringing more children into the family of God!

As in Galatians 4:19. “My little children, of whom I travail (different verb, same idea) in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”

Paul was a genius at looking at his “negatives” (all this suffering, 2nd Corinthians 11:22-31, dozens of events) as “positives.”

Like here: “And he (the Lord Jesus) said unto me (Paul), My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2nd Corinthians 12:9

Most gladly!

My “weaknesses” can trigger God’s “power!”

For Paul, a great trade!

Readers here today, you can’t defeat a man like that!

Praise the Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

A critic might say (many have, in fact) that Paul was carrying things to an extreme!

Going “on and on” about all his troubles!

But he is using thIS list (2 Corinthians 11:22-31) for several purposes:

First, to show the Corinthians how much he loves them.

Second, to expose some false teachers who have infiltrated the true Corinthian Church, men who would “quit” before they ever “suffered” such ordeals as these Paul has experienced.

Third, to obey the Holy Spirit Who has directed (inspired) Paul to write each of these words, record each of these events, to make our Bible complete!

Today we learn that Paul was “in weariness” often, “wearied.”

The noun means “exhaustive labor.”

“Kopos” is derived from a verb (“kopto”) that means “to strike, to hit” something. To “beat it up!”

“Kopos” (the noun, our word used in today’s lesson) is likely the most intense word in the New Testament concerning “work” of any kind!

A little vocabulary history:

“Kopto”(the verb)  is translated “bewail, lament, mourn,” and the like.

And then its noun cognate (“kopos”) is translated (in the King James Version) “labor” (13 times) then “trouble” (5 times) then “weariness” (just 1 time, here in our text).

The word primarily refers to absolute “fatigue,” according to the lexicon I consulted.

Paul, often, had travelled so far … or preached so hard … or counseled some Christian so deeply … or faced some interrogation … or prayed all night … that he was EXHAUSTED BEYOND WORDS!

How helpful is this information!

I, too, feel that way at times.

It’s physical too, not spiritual.

But it is what I call a “good tired” feeling!

But few today would undergo such a lifestyle, not for long!

Few would go to Church … that “give out” … and joyfully participate in worship!

Folks, Paul was human!

His little body had physical limits, especially having been so mistreated, persecuted by the enemies of Christ!

Yet … as I’ve written many times in this Series … PAUL REMAINED FAITHFUL!

He did not quit.

His dedication to Jesus was real.

His “call” to serve was serious.

How do we measure up to such high standards?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

My life verse, 1st Corinthians 15:58 helps here. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye STEADFAST, UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your LABOUR (IN GREEK, “KOPOS”  … PLEASE SEE THIS!) is not in vain in the Lord.” Written by Paul, nonetheless!

Amen!

 

The Greek noun “pseudos” means “that which is unreal.” Thus, “something false.”

And Paul uses this term in 2nd Corinthians 11:26, describing his perilous life, faithfully serving the Lord. Paul sort of “coins” a word in so doing, “pseudadelphos.” Translated: “false brethren.”

Yes, Paul encountered dangers” (“perils”) among “false brethren!”

People who “said” they were saved, but in reality were not!

In searching for this expression (particularly in all of Paul’s New Testament correspondence), and only found one other instance.

Here, in our text, in 2nd Corinthians 11:26, Paul had been …  “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, (then) IN PERILS AMONG FALSE BRETHREN.”

Then in Galatians 2:4, another place Paul had been plagued by enemies of the Gospel. “And that because of FALSE BRETHREN unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” Men trying to put the new converts back under the Law of Moses! Deny the exclusive saving power of the Grace of God!

Paul did once use the expression “false apostles,” in our chapter too! Exactly, in 2nd Corinthians 11:13. Surely the terms are parallel!

People who hated Paul, apparently.

People who did not believe in the total saving Power of the Blood of Jesus, obviously.

People who themselves evidently were NOT saved, “false brethren.”

And they wanted to harm the Apostle Paul!

He pursued most of his Ministry, at risk of these hypocrites!

He also labeled them “deceitful workers.”

“Transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” Putting on an act, 2nd Corinthians 11:13 again.

Then Paul adds this little tidbit of this crowd: “And no marvel; for SATAN HIMSELF is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS also be transformed as the MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2nd Corinthians 11:14-15

Paul had learned to identify them, false brethren.

And to warn people of them.

“Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” Wow, 2nd Timothy 4:14-15

God spared Paul from those dangers, “perils among false brethren.”

By the way, such men and women still exist among our fellowships!

Tares among the wheat!

Thus, the New Testament closes with advice like this: “It was needful for me (Jude) to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are CERTAIN MEN crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, UNGODLY MEN, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and DENYING the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude verses 2-4.

Be SURE you are real!

Truly “in” the Faith.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

This is the third time Paul has mentioned some “seafaring” experience, in his relatively short (biographical) “Hardship List!”

Here they are:

He was three times involved in “shipwrecks!”

Then later … he was “a night and a day in the deep,” floating in the ocean! Likely holding onto a buoyant piece of the ship!

And now, he recalls even more …  “perils in the sea!”  2nd Corinthians 11:26

Most Jews had an aversion to the Sea, the Ocean!

They generally had never been an ocean traveling people.

God gave them LAND, not an Sea!

The Promised LAND, it’s called to this day!

Paul only traveled the maritime lanes (about 7,000 miles of them one scholar estimates) in order to preach the Gospel, found Churches, teach God’s Word!

The man was a veritable “sailor!”

And he thus faced many (often) “perils in the sea.”

(I am not even counting Paul’s “in perils of waters,” also included in his list! I figure that means “rivers,” not oceans.)

Surely these “dangers” (“perils”) include the broken ships!

The holding on “for dear life” as he gradually floated to land, to shore!

But maybe not! No one is positive. Paul can tell us more when we get to Heaven.

I know that once there was a “plot” to kill Paul, while sailing to Rome. Read Acts 27:24 here. “And the soldiers’ (the guards on board) counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.”

That sounds “perilous!”

And we know of one more shipwreck in Paul’s life (at least one more), recorded in Acts, when Paul was being “transported” to Rome, having appealed to Caesar. Folks, I mean one more not listed in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11.

Yes, “perils in the sea.”

Plus … who knows? (This list apparently leaves Paul 10-15 more years of life, of serving God! Time for many more “perils!”)

Experiences Paul never forgot!

But these did not frighten the Preacher, Apostle (Paul) from serving the Lord!

He remained faithful.

And do remember this … Paul is using this “list” to refute some back in Corinth who “doubt” he is a real Apostle!

The thinking goes like this … if a man suffers this much for a cause, for Christ Jesus, he SURELY must be sincere!

Yes, Paul’s sufferings (in his mind anyway) prove the sincerity of his faith.

I’ll tell you this much. Paul was no “hireling!” They “run” when danger comes. Jesus taught this in John 10:12 … “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth.” Paul did not flee!

May we too be “real” in our faith, in our walk with the Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell